Nothing Heals Me Like You Do
by Dust of Snow
Summary: Sorta Sequel to "[At Least Outloud] I Won't Say I'm In Love" in which twin orphans run away to the Manhattan Lodging house. The girl hasn't spoken since she witnessed their parent's murder. What will happen? Who knows...hehe Rating for mild curse usage..
1. Sticking Together

Disclaimer: Disney owns the newsies from the movie…see the movie and you'll know which ones are theirs and which are mine…Gospel and Bite Size, Glorianna, and the Hayden twins, Jonothan and Jasmine are mine, as well as any other miscellaneous newsies and or people that were not in the movie… 

PS 

Jono is pronounced "jon-o" no joe no…heheh…

This is a sorta sequel (cause it features the same characters) to [At Least Out Loud] I wont' Say I'm in Love . For those of you who read the little note thingy I left at the end of the story, I decided to make Jassy mute, not deaf…anyway… hope you enjoy J 

"Nothing Heals Me Like You Do"

Ch. 1

Jonothan "Jono" Hayden grinned at his friend, Racetrack, as the news boy and proudly self professed gambler threw pebbles at the window. He opened the window and was plugged in the forehead with a rock.

"Shit!" He gasped, "That hurt!" 

"Shhhhh!" One of the boys he shared the large bunkroom with whispered.

"You won't rat on me, will ya?" Jonothan asked quickly, one leg out the window.

"We haven't yet, have we? Don't worry 'bout it Jono, nobody'll say nothin'." The tired boy replied.

"Alrighty, then I'll be back before mornin'! Cover for me and leave the window open!" He said smiling, and continued on his way out the window, into the bushes, and over to where Racetrack huddled in the shrubbery. 

"Nice aim, race!" Jono said with a smile, rolling his eyes.

"Hey…I got yer attention didn't I?" Race replied as the two spit shook, "It's been to long Jono, wait til I tell ya what's been goin' on lately…"

The two walked companionably down the street towards the Manhattan Lodging house while Race recited to Jono the latest gossip that was running around the newsies and how Kid Blink's sister, Glorianna had shown up and that the tough Brooklyn leader was officially smitten with the girl.

"Yeah…you shoulda seen 'er Jono, quite da lookah…" Race sighed, "Almost as beautiful as a Royal Flush…"

Jonothan chuckled, "Whoa Race…you're gonna make Lady Luck jealous."  
Race shrugged, "I said _almost_ Jono me boy, _almost._"

They reached the lodging house walked up the stairs into the boy's room. The boys were sitting around, some playing cards, some sleeping, and some just lounging. Jack, Kid Blink, Mush, and Spot sat in one corner, playing poker. According to the look on Spot's face he was winning and Jack was losing big. 

Jonothan grinned, Jack had his, "I'm going to try and smooth talk my way back to my money" look on his face. 

"Jono!" Kid Blink called out, glancing up, "It's been awhile!"

Jono grinned and sat between Jack and Kid Blink. Race sad down beside Spot and was asking him what he had missed.

"Just Jacky-boy losin' da shirt off his back is all…" The Brooklyn leader replied with a grin, "Hey Jono, hows life at the orphanage?"

Jono shrugged, "Same as always, nobody wants to adopt a couple of sixteen year old orphan twins, one of which hasn't talked since she was eleven…they all want the cute babies without tragic histories and such…"

"Dang…sorry ta heah that, Jono."

Jono grinned, "I'd rather not be adopted…you should see some of the people that come there…whoo boy…" His grin faded a little, "It's just that Jassy needs the help…I wish I could figure out how to help her…"

The boys were silent for a moment, continuing in there game, not really knowing what to say. 

Jack won the next hand, much to Spot's chagrin. Then Race won the hand after that.

Spot sighed, "Well…I guess I should get back to Brooklyn and that crazy Priss of mine…" He sighed softly.

"I heard about your new girl…congratulations." Jono said, smoothing his hair back with one hand.

Spot sighed, "Thanks…but I think I could use wishes a good luck more 'n congrats…" 

"Hey, that's me sistah yer talkin' about." Blink said, but he clearly wasn't upset.

"What's eatin' at ya, Spot?" Jack asked, "Glori to much for ya ta handle or somethin'?" 

Spot snorted, "No…she just has this crazy idea ta buy dat building and make some kind a huge orphan…run away…refuge or somethin…only she won't do it in Brooklyn…she's determined ta do heah, in Manhattan, even though I showed her dis perfect buildin', right in Brooklyn." 

"Yer never gonna change 'er mind, ya know dat, don't ya, Spot?"

Spot shrugged, "We'll see…"

"Well fellas, I have ta get back to the orphanage. I'll see ya again soon though."

"Want me ta walk wid ya home?" Race asked.

"Nah, that's okay." 

"Good…cause I'm beat."

Jonothan walked out of the Lodging house with Spot, who said a quiet goodbye and started walking towards Brooklyn.

Jonothan arrived at the orphanage, snuck back in through the window, and was in bed without anyone being the wiser. 

The next morning Jonothan was called into Mrs. Clarence's office, a social worker who had been trying to get him and his sister, Jasmine, adopted since their parent's death when they were eleven. 

Jasmine, or Jassy, as Jonothan called her, was already waiting. She sat in a high back chair, her posture perfect. She had wide shoulders and was tall for a girl, 5 ft 11, same as him. She was boyishly thin and believed herself to be plain, but in Jonothan's eyes she was beautiful. Her big green eyes and all her brown hair, tinted with red in the sunlight were his favorite features. She was unbelievably kind and gentle. He and Jassy had been best friends since they were born. They were twins and surely looked like. He too, had thick brown hair and green eyes. He was 5 ft 11 and thin framed. He had a big smile though, with dimples that charmed most females. 

He grinned at her and gestured a "hello" and a "I love you, sis" as he took his seat. 

Jassy grinned back and gestured the same. She hadn't spoken since the tragic murder of their parents that took place when they were eleven. She had witnessed the entire thing from the closet their mother had shoved her in and it had traumatized her. They had never caught the criminals who did it and it still hurt Jonothan to think about it. He and Jassy rarely spoke of their parents. 

She had never learned formal sign language, and when they talked it was pretty much through their own "secret language" they had made far before their parents were killed. 

"What'd ya call us in for, Mrs. Clarence?" He asked, taking a seat in the chair beside Jassy's.

"Well…I have some wonderful news!" She said smiling, "We have two lovely couples who can't wait to adopt you!"

"Wow…two? Which one did you chose?" Jono asked with a grin, he couldn't believe they were actually getting adopted. Jassy could finally get the help she needed.

Mrs. Clarence frowned, "No, dear, I don't think you understand. We have a couple who is interested in adopting you and another couple, who work with people like Jassy, who can't talk, read to adopt her…I'm sorry."  
Jassy's eyes widened and she began shaking her head, her hand grasping at Jonothan's tightly.

Jono patted her shoulder consolingly, "Don't worry, Jassy, they aren't going to split us up."

"Well, Jonothan, you don't really have a choice. We've finally found someone to adopt you and they are coming to pick you up first thing tomorrow morning. You have today to get your stuff together and say good-bye to your friends and to each other, and that is final."

Jono shrugged, "If you say so, Mrs. Clarence….c'mon Jass, let's go say our goodbyes…" He took Jassy's hand and walked out of the office.

Jassy was looking at him with huge worried eyes and shaking her head, no.

"Don't worry, Jass. I'm gonna get us out of here tonight…"

_Where will we go?_ She gestured quickly.

He shrugged, "I think I know a place. Wait with your window unlocked tonight and make sure you're ready to leave quick."

She nodded worriedly, _I trust you._ She said, then squeezed him tight.


	2. What A Guy

Ch 2

Jack Kelly's affable knack for getting into, but more, getting out of trouble was that of legend among the street kids. He was a hero to many of them, the strike he and his newsie friends waged against the upper class posh of New York having been the high point of many of their generally dark, dreary and hard working lives. There were those who would've rather seen him ride of into the sun set, a seemingly romantic and dashing goodbye to the man who helped them taste a bit of justice. Yes to them, it would've been far more dramatic if he were never to be seen again. But those who knew him, the real him, if anybody _actually_ new the real from the falsified glamour he created with his words and charisma, were overjoyed when he returned to them. They loved their Cowboy after all, even his faults, all of them…and there were many.

Jono smiled as he stared at the legend known as Jack Kelly. If only they could see him now, curled up in bed with his thumb in his mouth and drool dripping onto this pillow. Jono wondered how he should wake the sleeping prince of newsie strike stardom up and decided on the way that would amuse him most. He slapped him…right on his sleeping rump.

"JESUS!" Jack cried out, jumping up in bed, swinging to hit the mystery intruder.

"Shhh!" rang out through the room and Jono began chuckling silently.

Jack glared at him as he rubbed his stinging "cheek", "Well…I'm awake…" He said irritably.

Jonothan grinned, "You're so dreamy and charming when ya first wake up, Jack."

Jack shook his head, "I'm going to kill you…you know that right?"

Jono shrugged, "Well worth it…"

"What brings ya here at…what the hell time is it?! You do know I hafta get up early and sell don't'chu?"

Jono nodded and his face went serious, "I know, I'm sorry, Jack. It's just…I…_we_ need your help."

Jack's eyebrows rose, "And you thought slappin' me in the ass was the best wa ta start of this conversation?"

"Well…no…but it was the most amusing…"

Jack rolled his eyes, "You ain't funny Jono…you think you are…but you're mistaken…Now what do ya need my help for?"

"It's the orphanage, they found people to adopt us--"

"Well that's great!" Jack exclaimed, interrupting him.

"Shhhh!" and "Shut up, Kelly!" Could be heard from a few in the room, but most slept through it. 

"No…no…they found to separate couples to adopt us…they're trying to split us up, Jack. That can't happen. Jassy would be lost without me."

Jack nodded slowly, "I gotcha…you want ta stay here, huh?"

Jono nodded.

"I'm sure it'd be fine, but ya gotta ask Mr. Kloppman."

Jono nodded, "Thanks Jack. Can we stay here til' morning?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah, where's yer sister?"

"She's waiting outside."

"Alright, go get 'er and you can take the extra bunk over dere." Jack said pointing to an empty bunk bed in the corner, "Kid Blink and Mush are in Brooklyn visiting Glorianna." 

"Thanks, Jack."

"Now I'm goin' back ta sleep."

Jono went back down the stairs to where Jassy was waiting, "Sorry it took so long, sis."

"_I was scared_." 

"I know, I'm sorry," He said, hugging her, "Come on, Jack agreed to let us stay the night, then we talk to Kloppman to see if we can stay permanently."

Jassy nodded and followed her brother up the stairs. She was nervous about staying in a room with a bunch of strange boys. They had kept her isolated at the orphanage will other girls who had terrible consequences from a traumatic incident. They thought they needed extra care. They were probably right, but Jassy had hated being treated differently.

They entered the room through the window and he lead her into the corner bunk. Her nose wrinkled at the smell of sweaty, sleeping boys but she ignored it and laid down in the bunk her brother indicated and fell into a peaceful sleep. As long as she and Jonothan were together she knew everything would be okay.

((hey, this is unrelated…but, anybody else think that David Moscow looks a lot like Kirk Cameron from Growing Pains?…))


	3. Easy To Talk To

Ch. 3

Jassy awoke the next morning to the sound and sight of a bunch of bare chested boys getting dressed in a hurry. Scurrying about with their slicked back hair and sideways turned hats. 

She turned and hid her head in the pillows, deeply embarrassed. 

"Psst! Hey Jassy!" Jonothan was shaking her gently, "Wake up, we gotta go talk with Kloppman and I want to introduce you to the boys."

Jassy peaked up at him from beneath her bangs and nodded.

When she stood up all eyes were on her. She felt terribly nervous and squeezed and Jonothan's hand. 

"Guys, this is my sister, Jassy. Jasmine." Jono gestured to her in a grandiose manner, with a bit of a bow, like she was someone really important and she blushed and waved at them shyly.

"Heya, Jassy. Da name is Jack Kelly and It's a pleasure to meet'cha." The Older looking boy said with a grin as he took of his hat. With his handsome smile and unruly hair he reminded her of Jono and she instantly trusted him.

_"I've heard of you."_ She gestured.

Jack looked at her and nodded as if he knew exactly what she was saying, then glanced at Jono.

"She says heard of you."

Jack nodded, "Well, I hope it was all good things, Jassy."

Jack and Jono took her around and introduced her to the other boys. There were so many names she knew she wouldn't be able to keep them all straight. Afterwards they took her over to Kloppman. 

He was the kindest old gentleman she'd ever seen and he agreed to allow Jono stay. He said he didn't know about a girl, however and asked if it were possible for her to stay somewhere else. Jono wouldn't hear of it and explained the whole situation to him. They had left the orphanage so they could stay together. Kloppman understood and said she could stay but if she were to stay she'd have to earn her keep working in the house and at the distribution center with him. Jassy readily agreed and spent the rest of the day with Kloppman. They communicated fairly easily using a pad of paper and a pen. Jassy had learned to read and write by her mother, who had been a teacher at a very high class school in New England before she had become a wife and mother. 

Jassy was sweeping the stair case and had worked her way down to the last step when she heard someone's foot steps behind her. She swung around quickly, holding the broom in front of her in a defensive stance. The tallest young man she'd ever seen stood in front of her with a wide, gentle grin on his face. Her eyes widened at the size of him, he had to be at least six foot two or more and he was all muscle. Broad shoulders, strong, work ready arms and hands, and a firm jaw. He looked big, tough, and brutal, but his eyes were kind, gentle, full of warmth, glinting with blue brilliance, brought out by the blue shirt he was wearing, tucked into black pants which were held up by red suspenders. His thick, unruly black hair was peaking out from beneath the backwards cap that barely concealed it. Jassy was struck somewhere within and knew she would never recover from whatever it was.

"Good afta'noon, miss. The name is Benjamin, though most call me, Gospel the infamous Brooklyn newsie…well, dey don't call me da last part, I just added it on for effect." He grinned at her, looking for a response, but her face remained impassive, her eyes glued to his, and it was clear that she didn't quite understand the Brooklyn reference. He shrugged, his grin not fading a notch, "Well, uh…I'm just gonna wait around 'til Blink gets back if ya don't mind."

She nodded her head and continued sweeping slowly, her eyes discreetly following his movements as he jumped up to sit on the front desk.

"May I ask yer name?"

She shrugged at him and tapped her mouth and shook her head.

Gospel sighed, his grin fading, "Oh…sorry girl…well…What shall I call ya then? I guess girl will do."

She frowned and shook her head.

He chuckled, "You have somethin' against the species."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"Nah, just the name, is that right?"

She nodded quickly and placed the broom against a wall. Turning on her foot slowly she moved behind the counter Gospel was sitting at and pulled out a small black board and some chalk and wrote the word, "Jasmine".

"Jasmine, eh?"

She nodded.

"Dat's a lovely name for a lovely girl." Gospel said charmingly.

She shook her head and wrote, "Silly." 

"So…what're you doin' heah anyway?"

"Hiding. Staying together. Brother and I." She wrote short clipped words.

"Who's ya brudder?"

"Jonothan. Jono." She smiled.

"Oh yeah…I've met da guy once 'er twice…who ya hidin' from?"

"Orphanage. We don't want to be split up."

He nodded, "Unda'standable. I don't think they'll come searchin' for ya, so no worries."

She nodded and wrote, "Thanks," then, "Back to work." And put the slate down and began sweeping again.

Gospel was a talkative fellow and could only quietly watch her sweet for so long before he began talking to her about seemingly random things, people he knew and current events. He spoke for quite a length about a girl named Glori, Kid Blink's sister and Jassy was under the impression that his appreciation for her went beyond just friendship. She felt something sink at the revelation, but didn't delve to deeply into it. Who was she kidding anyway? What would a handsome, friendly guy like her want in a thick boned, too tall boyish lump of a girl? She sighed and continued sweeping.

"So anyway," Gospel went on, "I come ta see Blink because Spot's decided he don't want Glori to build this great school so far away from Brooklyn…so he's stickin' to her side like glue and won't let'er out of his sight, he even went so far as sittin' outside of 'er room last night so she wouldn't leave. He's crazy or somethin'. So now they're fightin' constantly and I'm hopin' Blink and Jack can help out. Ya know yer really easy to talk to."

She smiled shyly and shrugged, _Of course I'm easy to talk to_ she thought to herself bitterly, _I can't interrupt._

Soon Jono, Blink, Mush, David, Les and Jack strode into the boarding house laughing and joking with each other. Jono went to Jassy and gave her a quick squeeze as Jack and the rest of the boys went to greet Gospel. 

After some of the noise died down Gospel told them what was going on and the boys exchanged amused looks.

"Spot's really gone loopy over dat goil. Why is he actin' so strange?" Jack asked.

Gospel shrugged, "Well, I think it's less that he thinks he's right and more dat he just wants ta win dis particular argument."

"Plus…people do crazy things when they're in love." Jack said grinning.

"Yeah, you should know, Cowboy." Blink said grinning.

Jack shrugged and then said, "So, what're we goin' ta do? Go to Brooklyn, rescue Glori from da evil clutches of Spot, or what?  
Gospel smiled, "I didn't mean dat, I just thought you guys should know what was goin' on."

Suddenly the door swung open and the most breathtakingly beautiful girl Jassy had ever seen came running in, thick blonde hair windblown and streaked across her face. She was out of breath and read with heat and anger, but she was still exquisitely beautiful. Crashing in from behind her was a thinner girl, very cute, with a straggly dishwater blonde braid down her back and ink stained fingertips. 

"He's crazy!" The blonde gasped out angrily.

_This _has _to be Glorianna._ Jassy thought sadly,_ no wonder Benjamin is crazy about her._


End file.
